1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of computers and more particularly to the protection of computers from malware.
2. Description of the Related Art
Malware is a general name for all malicious software designed to infiltrate a computer for a variety of reasons such as adware (forced ads/black market), retrieving credit card information, child pornography, spam, intercepting website payments, etc. Examples of techniques utilized include concealment vehicles (Trojan Horse, Rootkits, Backdoors), Spyware to gather information about the user, Viruses which spread the contamination to other executables, Worms that spread contaminants to other computers in a network, Key Logger which intercepts user's keystokes and Botnets that propagate malware on chat systems. Although Viruses are a subset of malware, the term Virus has been used as a label that envelopes all threats.
The most common pathways for malware are the World Wide Web and e-mail. However external memory storage devices such as CDs, DVDs, Floppy Disks and Flash Drives can be vehicles for malware.
In about a decade, malware has evolved from a few pranks to the current large global industry focused intensely on how to capitalize on the vulnerability of computer systems. Computer systems and anti-malware software are continuously updated because it has only been a matter of time before they are infiltrated by the incalculable great number of opportunists around the globe.
Firewalls are the first lines of malware defense, sometimes provided with the OS (Operating System), provide a gateway to the internet that permits network traffic based on a set of rules/criteria that may include IP addresses, domain names, protocols, and allowable ports.
Malware protection usually under the label of Virus protection supplied with or purchased for computers, provide real time and program scanning functions. The scanning function is usually time consuming since each program, primarily the OS, is scanned for characteristics of a particular threat. When the contamination is severe, disabling the computer, sophisticated scanning, usually done by computer service centers, is performed to remove the malware; often times resulting in a total erasing of the hard drive.
Some real time malware protection intercept the incoming data to a buffer or use a virtual machine for examination of certain characteristics prior to sending executable code to the computer processor. Examples of characteristics filtered are specific malware characteristics, data formats consistent with existing files, file trust lists, and executable code comparison to a white list.
Firewall/Malware/Virus programs require continuous updating because of the constant barrage of new threats.
Unlike existing art, this invention provides a hardware solution, not alterable by any software (old or new malware), that protects critical software elements (Operating System, secure Applications, I/O Drivers) plus minimizes memory that could potentially be contaminated by malware.
Typical of the art are those devices disclosed in the following U.S. Patents:
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